Managing Multiple Ecosystem Services for Landscape Conservation: A Green Infrastructure in Lombardy Region

The spatial assessment of Ecosystem' Services could inform and support planning process to achieve sustainability as a major challenge for local community. Among others, the definition and implementation of Green Infrastructure based on the delivery of multiple ES is a key element of environmental planning aimed to maintain and restore the natural capital considering the interrelations between social and ecological aspects. The paper proposes a methodology for the spatial identification of the Regional Green Infrastructures in Lombardy Region (north-west of Italy) as a structural layer of landscape planning. Regional Green Infrastructures is designed to incorporate the multifunctional use of natural capital, especially its naturalistic, recreational and landscape vocation. The biophysical models of Habitat Quality were used as a proxy of natural values, the community maps of Recreation Potential with the Heritage properties was used as a proxy of recreation values, and finally a kernel density of positive visual elements has been used as a proxy of landscape values. The outputs were elaborated mainly using InVEST 3.2.0 software, integrated with a weighted overlay analysis tool of ArcGIS 10.3 version. Results were used to frame a preliminary base of landscape values for RGI, and are presented as a possible methodology to define a prescriptive layer of the new Regional Landscape Plan. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.